Refrigerator-car



(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. L. MGDNELL.

REPRIGERATOR GAR.

N0. 600,840. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

2- Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

E. L. M0D0NELL. REFBIGBRATOR GAR.

N0. 600,840. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

EDWARD L. MODONELL, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

REFRIGERATOR=CAR.

SPECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\T0. 600,840, dated. Mareh 15, 1898. Application fi1ed November 10, 1896. Seria1No. 611,628. (1\To model.)

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. MCDONELL, a citizen of the United States residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented eertain new and. usefu1 Improvements in Refrigerator-Cars; and I do hereby dec1are the following to be a full, e1ear, and exact description of the invention, sueh as Wil1 enable others skiiled in the art to whieh it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates t0 refrigerator-cars for carrying produce and the 1ike, and has for its object t0 so construct the same that it may be used as a refrigerator-car in sum1ner without ice and as a warm car in 001d weather to prevent the contents from freezing, the arrangement being such that a ourrent of air is caused to cireulate entirely around the produce-eontaining receptacles or bins Within the car, and thereby prevent heating er rot ting of the material carried therein.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the nevel eonstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts and in the various details thereof, as Wi1l first be pointed out in the speeifieatiou and then c1aimed.

In the drawings forminga part of this specification, and in which 1ike symbols of referenee indieate eorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a longitudin al seetion of a car, showing nny improvement applied thereto, the side being removed and the bin being exposed and the right end thereof showing the barding of the bin 1eft ofi. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the roof of the car removed. Fig. 3 is a vertiea1 transverse section of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view showing the construction applied 110 a ear with double-boarded sides, and Fig. 5 is a vertica1 seetion of the construetion shown in Fig. 4.

A denotes the top of my improved aar; 13, the sides; 0, the bottom; D, the bin f0r carrying produce E, the air-spaee at the bottom thereof; E, the air-space at the side thereof, and E a grating connecting the top of thebin with the sides of the ear, but permitting the air te pass therethrough.

The inner bin 0r apartnnent is made of the best kind of matehed lumber, s0 as te be per fectly air-tight. The space betvveen the bin and floor of the car is generally from about three t0 four inches, and the air-space bet-ween it and the sides of the car is of a corresponding size. The corners of the bin are eut 0, as at a, s0 as to leave an air-space of greater area than at the sides 0r botton1. The top of the bin 01 compartment is left uncovered, leaving the upper part of the car as an airspace. The resu1t of this construction is that the heat generated from the fruit 01 vegeta bles causes the air t0 rise in the car and areates a general ciroulation through the airspaces,thus producing a uniform temperature throughout thecar. This prevents the contents from deeaying or melding, as they will simp1y dry out. This result of course obviates the use of iee in warm weather. The same circu1ation in 001d weath er prevents the freezing of the contents of the car. The corners are out off, as before mentioned, for the reason that fruits or vegetables in aars begin t0 freeze at the forward corners of the car when in m0- tion. By cutting off the corners a large airspaee is gained, and this danger is obviated.

It is obvious that as long as there is a variation between the temperature in the air-spaces around the bin and the body of the eara constant eirculation will be kept up, theheated air escaping from the air-space, while the colder air in the car Wi1l enter the same.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the construction is shown as applied to a car having double boarding With a dead air-space, (represented by 1).)

While I have shown 1ny invention in the preferred form, it is evident that manymodifications of the same may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described rny invention, what I claim as new, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, is

In a car of the character deseribed, the 00mbination With the main reeeptacle contained therein, formed with air-spaces therearound, and the ends of the receptacle cut away on a bevelforming enlarged air-chambers at such points, and the grating connecting the upper edges of the receptacle with the car, substantia1ly as deserbed.

In testimony vvhereof I affix my signature in presence of tw o witnesses.

EDWARD L. MODONELL.

IOO 

